Portal:Atrazine Exposed

The Atrazine Exposed Portal

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Documents obtained by the Center for Media and Democracy, recently unsealed as part of a major lawsuit against Syngenta, reveal how the global chemical company's PR team investigated the press and spent millions to spin news coverage and public perceptions in the face of growing concerns about potential health risks from the widely used weed-killer "atrazine." This clearinghouse is for information about the company's PR campaign to influence the media, potential jurors, potential plaintiffs, farmers, politicians, scientists, and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the midst of reviews of the weed-killer's potential to act as an endocrine disruptor, over the past decade or so.

The U.S. Geological Survey is one resource for citizens to look at the levels of atrazine in water nearby and in other regions. Click here for an interactive map.

Jon Entine, "Over-Regulation Fever at the White House," Forbes (Feb. 9, 2012) (Entine is one of the people mentioned in the unsealed documents as a potential "third party" spokesperson for atrazine, as noted in the PRWatch article available here.)

Rich Keller, "Smear campaign against atrazine and Syngenta," Ag Professional (op-ed) (This is a trade magazine that promotes information from Syngenta press releases; this online magazine includes a promo ad that says, "Ag Professional, sponsored by Syngenta.")

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Key Reports about Atrazine in Water

Here are some of the reports about the spikes in atrazine levels in drinking water. These stories indicate that the company and EPA knew about the spikes but that the general public was not informed.

The Natural Resources Defense Council has documented information about this weed-killer and its level in drinking water. Click here to read NRDC's reports on atrazine, including its breakthrough investigation "Poisoning the Well" and its follow-up report, "Still Poisoning the Well."

The New York Times' reporter Charles Duhigg did a major investigation of atrazine in drinking water as part of a series called "Toxic Waters." Click here to read his story about "Debating How Much Weed Killer Is Safe in Your Water Glass."

The Huffington Post Investigative Fund's reporter, Danielle Ivory, wrote about the failure of the Environmental Protection Agency to let Americans known about the spikes of atrazine in their drinking water. Click here to read her story, "EPA Fails To Inform Public About Weed-Killer In Drinking Water."